Anti-Defamation League

The Anti-Defamation League operates as a leading international civil rights organization dedicated to combating antisemitism and all forms of bigotry. Founded in September 1913 by attorney Sigmund Livingston under the auspices of B'nai B'rith, the group emerged from the wrongful conviction and lynching of Leo Frank, a Jewish factory manager in Atlanta. This tragic event exposed deep-seated prejudice in American society and prompted Livingston to establish an entity focused on stopping the defamation of Jewish people while securing justice for all.

Headquartered at 605 Third Avenue in New York City, the ADL maintains a significant physical presence with 25 regional offices across the United States, a location in Israel, and staff in Europe. The organization employs approximately 500 individuals who work across research, education, advocacy, and litigation. Its approach rests on the principle that fighting one form of hatred requires confronting others, including racism, anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination, and Islamophobia.

In fiscal year 2024, the ADL reported record revenue of $163 million, with contributions accounting for 99.7 percent of its total income. The organization holds an endowment of $67.1 million and hired the lobbying firm Ballard Partners in 2024 to bolster its policy influence. Under CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, who took office in 2015, the group has modernized its strategies and expanded its focus to include technology and investor networks. [แก้ไข]

The mission of the Anti-Defamation League remains unchanged since its founding: to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. The organization pursues this goal through research, education, advocacy, and litigation. It aims to protect democratic values and build a society free from hate by addressing various forms of prejudice simultaneously. [แก้ไข]

The organization was born in Chicago in 1913 following the wrongful conviction of Leo Frank, a Jewish factory manager in Atlanta. After his death sentence was commuted, a mob lynched him in 1915. The case exposed rampant antisemitism in American society, prompting attorney Sigmund Livingston to propose a new organization under B'nai B'rith. The ADL's first efforts targeted defamatory portrayals of Jews in newspapers, books, and plays. During the 1940s, it launched large-scale research operations to uncover Nazi supporters and hate groups in the United States, sharing findings with government agencies and the press.

In the postwar decades, the ADL expanded its civil rights work. In 1948, it filed an amicus brief in McCollum v. Board of Education arguing against religious instruction in public schools. Benjamin Epstein, then national director, joined Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy at a White House meeting in 1963. The ADL also fought against quotas limiting Jewish students in college admissions. In 2009, it became independent of B'nai B'rith and shortened its name. Under Jonathan Greenblatt, who took over in 2015, the organization modernized its approach, adding a tech-focused center and acquiring the investor network JLens in 2022. [แก้ไข]